Foster an Animal

Fostering is simply nurturing a shelter pet in your home for a period of time. Fostering is usually for two weeks, but can be longer. The majority of animals fostered are litters of kittens. Kittens and sometimes puppies come to the shelter stray or abandoned and are too young and fragile to be placed in permanent homes. They need the security of their littermates, they need special care, and they need to learn important lessons from each other.

That's where you come in. Just like kids, kittens and puppies learn to get along with each other by playing. They learn limits, they learn tolerance, and they learn not to hurt each other — too much! This littermate interaction is essential for the healthy development of puppies and kittens. Fostered litters also learn about the home environment — other cats, dogs, and kids. When they return for adoption, they are often the most outgoing, confident animals in the shelter.

Other animals that may need fostering are animals recovering from surgery, or those that for some reason need time in a home before being adopted. This is particularly true of some of the dogs that come in and haven't truly been part of a "family".

Some dogs just benefit from getting out of the kennel for a "sleepover" or a weekend break. You can help make a difference in the life of a shelter animal — and have a lot of fun, too!

If you are interested in becoming a pet foster parent, complete a Dog, Cat, or Small Mammal Foster Inquiry Form and consider attending one of our volunteer orientations (recommended not required), where you will learn more about our foster program.

$ 10 will provide a digital pet thermometer, to help us check our kittens’ health.$ 20 provides one bag of high-quality food, to help kittens grow strong. $ 50 provides one Kitty Kasa to give our kittens a cozy place to sleep and play.$ 75 provides a medical scale so foster parents can track growing kittens.$100 will provide a ‘going home kit’ for new foster parents, containing a digital scale, snuggle-safe heating disk, dry and canned food, bedding, and more!